Advertisement

MLB power rankings: Atlanta Braves' finishing kick defines season's first half

gabe lacques, usa today
·3 min read
6

Winning your first 13 games and 27 of your first 33 just doesn't earn the clout it once did.

When the Tampa Bay Rays raced out to a dominant start, evoking memories of the wire-to-wire Detroit Tigers' 35-5 burst in 1984, it seemed to be the defining hot streak of the season.

Yet as Major League Baseball breaks for the All-Star Game, just one team is poised to lap the field.

The Atlanta Braves did the Rays two better, putting together a 27-4 stretch that pushed their lead in the National League East to 8 1/2 games − the only division in which first and second place are separated by more than two games.

They will send eight players to Seattle for the All-Star Game, and open the second half at home against the Chicago White Sox. Good luck catching them.

Sean Murphy (right) celebrates with Ozzie Albies after hitting a three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Sean Murphy (right) celebrates with Ozzie Albies after hitting a three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays.

A look at this week's rankings:

1. Atlanta Braves (-)

  • Bryce Elder loses NL ERA lead with rough outing to end half.

2. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

3.  Baltimore Orioles (+1)

  • Already won more games (54) at the break than all of 2021 (52).

4. Los Angeles Dodgers (+2)

  • How deep will they dig into their pocket of prospects to get much-needed pitching help?

5. Texas Rangers (-2)

  • Limp into break losing six of nine.

6. Arizona Diamondbacks (-1)

7. Miami Marlins (-)

  • If the season ended now (and it doesn't), they'd host a wild-card series.

8. Houston Astros (+2)

9. San Francisco Giants (-1)

  • Starters now rank third in the NL in ERA (3.98).

10. Cincinnati Reds (+2)

11. Toronto Blue Jays (+2)

  • Alek Manoah's solid return a huge sigh of relief.

12. Milwaukee Brewers (+2)

  • Tangible and intangible value in taking series off Reds.

13. New York Yankees (-4)

14. Boston Red Sox (+1)

15. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)

  • Would really be something if they unlocked offense from the defensively phenomenal Cristian Pache.

16. Seattle Mariners (+2)

  • Might have saved their season by winning seven of 10.

17. Los Angeles Angels (-6)

  • Mike Trout's broken hamate bone might be prelude to a dark, dark month.

18. Minnesota Twins (-1)

  • Time for a run? A's, Royals, White Sox among those on early second-half schedule.

19. San Diego Padres (-)

20. Cleveland Guardians (-)

  • Biggest wild card at trade deadline.

21. New York Mets (-)

  • At least they're playing at a "is this false hope?" level.

22. Chicago Cubs (+1)

23. Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)

24. St. Louis Cardinals (+1)

25. Chicago White Sox (-1)

26. Detroit Tigers (-)

27. Washington Nationals (-)

  • Dylan Crews adds to a daunting collection of tooled-up outfield prospects.

28. Colorado Rockies (-)

  • Top pick is a college pitcher (Tennessee's Chase Dollander) for second consecutive draft.

29. Kansas City Royals (-)

  • Not sure if the highest-risk pick (a high-school catcher as top pick) was what franchise needed.

30. Oakland Athletics (-)

  • The record: 25-67. The run differential: Minus-248. Number of stadiums top draft pick Jacob Wilson could call home in his first three seasons: Three.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Atlanta Braves do Tampa Bay Rays two better